A petition from detainees at Morton Hall Immigration Detention Centre, to demand justice for those who have died in detention and to call for an end to immigration detention and indefinite imprisonment.

2 DEATHS IN DETENTION IN 2 WEEKS

 There have been two deaths in UK immigration removal centres less than 2 weeks apart. One in Dungavel IRC (Glasgow) and another in Morton Hall IRC (Lincoln). The death in Morton Hall occurred as a result of gross negligence from the IRC health professionals and a systematic culture of disbelief and disinterest in detainees’ welfare amongst the centre’s staff.

See our witness statement HERE.

Both incidents are apparently being investigated by an Independent Ombudsman, though no information has been released. There have been five officially reported deaths in the UK detention estate from November 2016 to October 2017.

We need answers! We need justice!

THERE IS NO SAFETY IN DETENTION

Immigration Detention is not the answer for anyone. In the UK today people are detained without a time limit, for months sometimes even years. It’s harmful and expensive. It robs people their dignity, spirit, and lives. We need to work towards and immigration system that is based on fairness not force and alternatives to detention that are accountable and allow people to contribute to society.

NGOs and Academics have strongly criticised the current policy and practice of Immigration Detention. Criticisms we agree with:

Detention is costly, ineffective, harmful.

Detention kills. It is harmful to detainees mental health and well-being.

 Safeguards to protect detainees and prevent inappropriate cases of detention are insufficient and ineffective.

It is unfair to deprive a person of their liberty for administrative convenience

Policies to guard against prolonged, unnecessary and unlawful detention are inadequately enforced.

There is a lack of transparency about the use of detention and conditions in the Immigration Removal Centres, including the treatment of detainees and the conduct of detention centre staff.

Detainees are hugely disadvantaged by their limited and inadequate access to legal advice, external communication and healthcare.

DETENTION IS EXPENSIVE AND INHUMANE

The UK Government has spent £136.9 million in Immigration Detention Centres from 2014 to 2015 and £125 million from 2015 to 2016. We have also learnt that the Home Office has paid out around £13.8 million in compensation for unlawful detention to 573 claimants from 2012 to 2015.

Based on The Migration Observatory statistics at the University of Oxford we learnt that 28,000 people entered immigration detention in 2016. Government statistics also show that around 700 to 800 immigration detainees have to endure long periods of detention until their case is resolved or they are removed, often spending 6 months or up to 24 months in detention, putting their mental and physical health in at enormous risk. 

THIS CANNOT CONTINUE.

We believe it’s time now for the UK Government to debate this important issue in the House of Parliament and time to abolish this unlawful and inhuman policy. Britain is an active world-wide advocate on Human Rights. There we should adopt a better policy for immigration with no further delays or excuses.  

SIGN THE PETITION:

To demand answers and justice for the victims of UK immigration detention. 

To join the movement for an end to detention an indefinite imprisonment.